Review: 5footway.inn Project Boat Quay Singapore

Review: 5footway.inn Project Boat Quay Singapore

When I was researching places to stay in Singapore, I found 5footway.inn via Facebook, surprisingly, and was intrigued by the cutesy name and marketing. I thought to myself, “Five feet…that’s about my size. That’s all I need. Perfect!” Just a little space to call my own for a few days while I explore this new city. What I found in real life, however, was so much better and a majorly welcome surprise.
I checked in around 4 PM after what felt like the longest journey of my life (two separate flights from Cape Town, South Africa totaling 18 hours air time with a 2 hour layover in Doha in between). Singapore, you were worth the journey, but my goodness, that was intense! Needless to say, I was exhausted, overheated and ready for my little five foot sanctuary that would be my pod in a dorm room.
Imagine my joyful surprise when the gentleman who checked me in, Go, took me up to my room, opened the door and revealed and empty private room with two beds to choose from. “Which bed should I take?” I asked. “Doesn’t matter. You have the room to yourself.”
Poor guy, I almost accosted him with a hug and kiss I was so excited. ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou.
A bunk bed with a double up top and single on the bottom were in front of me for the taking. And the air con was blasting air, giving me life. Hallelujah. “What’s better than a room with air conditioning in South East Asia?”
I’ve asked myself this countless times after long hot travel days on boats, buses and planes. By the time you actually find your accommodation, the heat is wearing down on your soul and your desperate for some cold air or a breeze- you’re likely to find one of those but you’ll have to pay a bit extra (and yes, it’s totally worth it).If you have ever visited South East Asia, and done so on a budget, you know not to expect much from a hostel or budget-friendly hotel. Often times the rooms are all-the-way clean and the air conditioning barely works. Luckily for me, I found an exception with this one! The room was spotless. The beds were comfortable and the sheets were fresh.
I’d rate this hostel a 3.5 out of 5 for the following reasons…

Staff (5 out of 5!)

Very friendly people at check in, who all spoke English, and made sure everyone was taken care of. I really appreciated all the multi-tasking I saw them do in an effort to help multiple guests at a time.

Social Responsibility (4 out of 5)

As you all know from my previous hostel/hotel reviews, I really love it when a business supports their community. The best I have ever seen this done was at The Backpack in South Africa (check out my review from my stay there), but I also was impressed by the efforts made by 5footway.inn. They actually have a marketing/community manager who networks with the community and makes new connections. I had the pleasure of meeting Mokoto and found him to be knowledgable not only about the hostel but the community in Singapore. He even took me on a tour of the hostel and gave a brief history of Singapore and it’s people. There are a lot informational tools on the walls of the hostel itself, lending to a more educational experience for guests.

Atmosphere + Location (4 out 5)

The atmosphere at 5footway.inn Project Boat Quay is a very relaxed one, except for on the main road downstairs full of bars and restaurants, which makes it the perfect location for a tourist. As far as the hostel itself, though, I prefer a more interactive and social hostel. There is one community room upstairs on the terrace but most guests were out enjoying the beautiful city (CAN YOU BLAME THEM?) so I didn’t really meet anyone here. The terrace, however, is beautiful, overlooking the Singapore River and some amazing architecture. It’s a great place to take your travel journal or a good book.

Facilities (5 out of 5!)

The fastest wifi I could ask for, comfy beds, clean showers with shampoo already supplied and clean toilets that you can actually sit on. It may not sound like much to those of you who have only traveled luxe style, but trust me, for a backpacker, this is a dream come true!!

Breakfast (4 out of 5)

Love that breakfast is included in the price, but definitely could have used a bit more of a selection. Toast, coffee and a table full of pastries were spread out on the terrace for guests from 6:30 AM to 10 AM. The pastries were local and really good, but I definitely prefer to have some fresh fruit in the morning or eggs. But, hey, free breakfast is free breakfast, am I right?!

Activities (3 out of 5)

While I saw signs up for tours and activities (an entire stand full of brochures sits right next to the check in counter), there was nothing organized by the hostel itself. Some of the best experiences I have ever had while traveling have been when I was convinced to tag along with a group of other travelers from the hostel going on some adventure organized by the hostel or a partnered business, so I definitely missed this kind of thing during my stay.

Guests (3 out 5)

Like I said, I did not really meet any new friends here as there weren’t really group activities going on and it certainly is not a party hostel. Everyone I did come across, however, was friendly and polite, just not overly social. I would say this is a place to stay when you are traveling with friends and already have your tribe or if you’re looking for some quality solo time. Luckily, I had a friend meet me there so I wasn’t alone! 🙂

Ownership (5 out of 5)

It’s very clear that the 5footway.inn chain of properties is well managed. The staff follows their guidelines and ensures every guest has a good, quality experience. Consistency is always a sign of strong leadership and I saw a lot of that here.

Thank you so much for hosting me at your property 5footway.inn- Project Boat Quay! When I return to Singapore, I want that exact same room please! And I’m bringing my friends!

Ps. Dear friends, 5footway.inn was nice enough to offer up 10% off for my readers! Include code “SGG10” in an email to [email protected] to make a reservation. I should tell you…No profit for me here, just a discount for you guys. 🙂

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On August 14th, 2015 I left my life in the United States behind with the intention to never look back. I had the "American Dream" and I woke up from it, to create a new reality for myself. I sought out beauty in a world that was increasingly dark for me at the time and ended up finding more than I bargained for. With only a backpack, I traveled across Europe, South East Asia and then on to Africa. With over 30 countries stamped in my passport, I've become an entirely new version of myself with a broader perspective on what it means to be a woman in today's world. My hope is that by sharing my stories and featuring women like me from around the world, we can inspire others to break down their own internal barriers and go cross a few international borders while they're at it. I truly believe travel can be healing to a troubled soul, empowering to the lost and rejuvenating for the exhausted. Perspective is everything, and I believe in the power of "going global," what about you? SheGoesGlobal.net is a site that started out with my stories and grew into a platform for women all around the world to tell their travel tales of trials and triumph. We all believe that the more you see of the world, the better you can be as a person who inhabits it. Women encouraging other women to grow, travel, evolve- that's what SGG is all about. ---> Read my very first blog post (see "Archives" for August 2015) to learn how this all began.